Five days after political prisoners at Camp Bagong Diwa started their hunger strike, other political prisoners in at least fifty (50) jails nationwide today announced their hunger strike/fasting for the duration of the Papal visit in the Philippines. All political prisoners are also set to light candles in their respective jail as a symbolic welcome to Pope Francis.
Five days after political prisoners at Camp Bagong Diwa started their hunger strike, other political prisoners in at least fifty (50) jails nationwide today announced their hunger strike/fasting for the duration of the Papal visit in the Philippines. All political prisoners are also set to light candles in their respective jail as a symbolic welcome to Pope Francis.
In a statement, political prisoners in Camp Bagong Diwa said “Your Holiness, Pope Francis, Warm embraces! Together with millions of the Filipino people, we, political prisoners, extend our warmest welcome to your five-day visit to our country, starting this coming January 15 up to January 19. Your principal scheduled visit to that part of our country most devastated by the Supertyphoon Yolanda (“Haiyan”, by its international name) in November 2013, will indeed render much help, through expressing sympathy with, giving inspiration to and boosting the spirits of the millions of the victims there, not only of the recent natural disaster, but also of their continuing and further sufferings brought about, and that continue to be brought about, by gross government incompetence and corruption.”
“We also expect that in your visit to our country, you will find out a great deal about the more widespread sufferings of the greater mass of the oppressed, violated, deprived and impoverished people in our country, not much different from what you actually also saw in your own country, Argentina, and have been deeply concerned about,” they added.
Relatives of political prisoners and other victims of human rights violations and human rights advocates also held a welcome activity today in front of the Papal Nunciator where they offered flowers to a Pope standee. Some 600 common offenders in a jail facility in Compostela Valley will also join the hunger strike of political prisoners, in solidarity with their call for the release of all political prisoners.
Starting January 10, political prisoners at the Camp Bagong Diwa-Special Intensive Care Area-1 (SICA-1) went on hunger strike as they called the Pope to intercede for the release of political prisoners. In a statement, the political prisoners explained, “(we are) putting the whole of ourselves in our plea for return of our freedom, application of justice and respect for human rights that have been and continue to be deprived from us.”
Karapatan documented 491 political prisoners, among them are 53 ailing and 42 elderly prisoners. The number also includes the 14 peace consultants in the peacetalks between the Philippine government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP).
Repression of political prisoners inside Camp Bagong Diwa
Meanwhile, at Camp Bagong Diwa-Special Intensive Care Area-1 (SICA-1), political prisoners who have started their hunger strike five days earlier have already experienced harassment from jail authorities.
"As early as now, the warden of Camp Bagong Diwa is already harassing the prisoners, depriving them of sunning rights and their right to be visited by a physician of their choice," Cristina Palabay, secretary general of Karapatan said.
Dr. Julie Caguiat of the Council for Health and Development and Karapatan paralegal Bernard Zamora were denied entry at the CBD. They have been at the gate of the SICA-1 since 2:00 p.m. until past 5:00 p.m., January 13.
The two have been visiting the political prisoners regularly but jail authorities cited various reasons barring their visit such as they were not relatives of those detained; they were not in the prisoners’ list of visitors/doctors; they needed permit from the national office of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology; that the political prisoners are still “okay”, and many other excuses. Jail authorities also refused to talk over the phone to the political prisoners’ lawyer.
"This is a clear violation of the law on the rights of detained persons or Republic Act 7438 which states the doctors, lawyers, human rights organizations, family members shall have access to the detained person anytime of the day or night," Palabay said.
Dr. Caguiat was even asked to secure a permit to be able to visit the political prisoners. Dr. Caguiat wrote a letter to the jail warden, Inspector Michelle Ng Bonto, asking for entry. If denied, Dr. Caguiat requested the warden to put in writing the reasons why she is denied entry. The letter never went back to Dr. Caguiat.
"We do not have the any idea about the condition of the political prisoners inside the SICA-1 days after their declaration of hunger strike. Who knows if they already need medical attention?" Palabay said.
Help Free Our Loved Ones
Aside from welcoming the Pope, relatives of political prisoners gathered at the gate of the Papal Nunciature also announced they would also fast in solidarity with their detained loved ones. They ask Pope Francis to join them in their call to release their detained loved ones.
Speaking for the relatives of political detainees, Nikki Gamara said, "Our detained loved ones are not criminals but victims of injustices. We ask His Holiness to listen to our cry and intercede for the release of our loved ones. We long to see them free." Nikki’s father Renante Gamara is a political prisoner at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame, Quezon City.